Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner has failed to rule out the prospect of Carlos Sainz returning to the team in 2025 following his win at the Australian Grand Prix.
Sainz, who is recovering from an appendix operation, capitalised on Max Verstappen retiring with a stuck rear right brake to dominate proceedings and lead a Ferrari 1-2.
The Spaniard is responsible for the only two non-Red Bull victories over the previous 25 races, with his latest success supporting his triumph in Singapore last September.
However, Sainz is without a drive next season since the announcement ahead of the current campaign that Ferrari has signed Lewis Hamilton to partner Charles Leclerc.
Red Bull has a vacant seat alongside Verstappen for 2025 with Sergio Perez’s contract coming to an end – and the Mexican trailed home in fifth at the Albert Park Circuit.
Asked whether Red Bull would take Sainz, Horner replied: “Based on a performance like that you couldn’t rule any possibility out, so I think you just want to take the time.
“And obviously Checo was compromised today [through a grid drop and a lodged tear-off]. He’s had a great start in the season too so we’re not in any desperate rush.”
Horner also clarified that the reigning champions “want the best pairing that we can in Red Bull Racing”, citing “sometimes you’ve got to look outside the pool as well”.
That could include a swoop for Sainz, who graduated into F1 in 2015 through the Red Bull programme and raced for its second-string outfit until departing in late 2017.
Sainz became frustrated with the limited opportunities to progress up the ranks to the senior squad, with stints at Renault and McLaren before landing at Ferrari in 2021.
Having re-established his credentials to potential suitors last weekend, Sainz was bullish that his most recent exploits wouldn’t have damaged his future career prospects.
Questioned on whether the win had improved his chances of landing a competitive drive, Sainz responded: “I don’t know for sure. It does no harm. And that is 100 per cent.
“But yeah, I’m still without a job for next year. So I guess this is going to be a big help. I think everyone knows more or less what I’m capable of doing. I do race for myself.
“I race to keep proving to myself that I can win whenever I get a competitive car. And whenever there’s an opportunity to win in a weekend, I don’t race to prove to team principals or to prove to people my value. I race to prove to myself that if I’m given a car, I can get it done and I can be up there, you know.
“And that’s the mentality and the approach that I have. And I will keep having the rest of the year,” he concluded.
Despite reiterating earlier this month that Perez remains in “pole position” to retain his place, Horner did proceed to tease that the “market is fluid with certain drivers”.
Along with Red Bull, Sainz has been linked with replacing Ferrari-bound Hamilton at Mercedes and the Sauber team that will evolve into a works Audi marque in 2026.
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